Racegoers enjoyed more Bank Holiday fun at the United Downs Raceway, with another packed programme of action.

Stock Rods

Good numbers in the non-contact class included a debut appearance for 254 Kurt Selway and a first outing of the season for 149 Dan Curtis.  There was an early spin for 617 Christina Sillifant in heat one, as 779 Ross Sweetland set the early pace with Selway.  314 Jason Barraclough chased down the lead pair and rounded them to hit the front and secure his first win of the season.  In heat two, 285 Martin Walker swiftly hit the front and stormed to an emphatic victory, whilst new National Champion 914 Callum Faulconbridge gamely made good use of the outside line to rise to seventh.  Heat three was another race dominated by the lower graders as Sweetland led home Barracolough and Selway.  Sweetland won the coin toss for pole for the Bertie Bassett Trophy final which was to prove to be chaotic in the extreme.  From the outside line, Barraclough struggled to keep pace with Sweetland, and instead it was Walker who emerged as the main challenger in the early moments.  However, he came under threat from 911 Harrison Bryant who ended up being involved in two separate incidents.  The first came when Walker was spun at the pit gate, which earned Bryant a black cross, and again when Sweetland was turfed aside on the same part of the track.  For his part in the incident, Bryant was then black flagged, and he withdrew to the infield instantly.  Amidst the mayhem, 835 Matt Westaway grabbed the lead.  Initially, 944 Callum Hosie was on his tail, but Hosie’s car was clearly ailing.  Westaway stormed away, and his advantage grew and grew.  The previous holder of the trophy, 522 Chris Mikulla, bounced back from a spot of two-wheel balancing earlier in the race to move into second, with 275 Jeremy Hatch grabbing third.  Hosie drifted down the order to place eighth as only ten drivers went the distance.  The Grand National was developing into a three-way battle involving Selway, Barraclough and Walker, but when Callum Faulconbridge blew a hose heading into turn one, it triggered an almighty crash behind with 854 Jack Sear, 151 Simon Vincent, Selway and Barraclough sailing unavoidably into the heap.  The swift deployment of yellow flags helped to save too many more adding to the carnage.  Walker held on for victory in the restarted race.

Saloon Stock Cars

Disappointing numbers in the Saloon Stock Cars was even more bizarre given that they had been afforded four races.  202 Cody Bradford set a searing pace in the opening heat, as he recorded a maiden win.  677 Warren Darby charged up the order but second was as high as he got.  Bradford won again in heat two, with Darby again the runner-up as he got mighty close to landing a blow on the teenage white grader’s bumper.  The final saw Bradford complete a hat-trick of wins.  199 Phil Powell repeatedly closed the gap but was not quite in range to dive on the last bend.  However, there was last bend drama a little way behind, as 277 Jack Grandon launched at World Champion 720 Archie Brown and the two clattered off the plating, with Brown failing to start before the red flags fell.  The pack finally got hold of Bradford in the Allcomers, with Brown and Grandon reeling him in before the midway point, after which he retired to the infield with a mechanical issue.  Brown won convincingly, with Grandon the runner-up.

Back 2 Basics Bangers

A varied selection of cars made up the grid for the latest Back 2 Basics Bangers fixture which saw the racing element of the day dominated by 333 Craig Partridge.  Regrettably, there were no takers at all for the Reverse race, and instead the opening race was a dull affair, which Partridge won comfortably.  Heat two was more lively as 459 Mitchell Brooks and 786 Grant Harris disputed the lead beyond the halfway stage, but a late charge by Partridge saw him in command by flag fall.  From fourteen starters in the final, just two cars made it to the finish.  Partridge was unscathed as he dodged all the action after a stoppage was called for 314 Anthony Hambley who took the brunt of the damage in a heavy spate of crashing in turn one.  405 Liam Curtis-Stevens was the only other finisher.  He was then joined by his brother, 404 Jake Curtis-Stevens, 96 Harley Carr-Flamank and 696 Jago Carveth for a short lived Destruction Derby.  The crashing was heavy and spectacular with Liam Curtis-Stevens landing the final blow to take the honours.

Ministox

An incredible effort from 176 Jack Jones and 313 Charlie Weston saw them in attendance despite racing in Scotland the night before!  From pole position, Weston led the first heat, which then had to be suspended when 111 Elliot Bawden got in a muddle in turn two and some of the pack ran into him.  Weston saw off a challenge from 522 Jacob Mikulla but was hunted down by 475 Mason Sealy.  In the final bend, Sealy lunged at Weston but spun.  Weston was delayed, and 27 Leo Rabone swiftly darted to the outside line and swept past Weston to grab an improbable victory.  Heat two was suspended for debris on the home straight, at which point race leaders 235 Kaitlin Harris and Weston crashed into the marker tyres at the pit gate.  Weston led off the restart but was docked in the final reckoning for his part in 770 Delilah Farrell being spun inside out on the home straight.  Sealy took the chequered, Weston was demoted from second to fourth and that elevated Rabone and 920 Wayne Wadge into the other two trophy positions.  The Snell Family Trophy final was suspended when Bawden ran aground on the home straight.  Weston and 575 Caden Clark disputed the lead with some great racing.  As they swapped places, Rabone joined them and took the lead himself after a race suspension.  Heading into the closing stages, Rabone drifted wide and fell to third behind Weston and Sealy.  Again, Sealy dived at Weston on the last bend, but as he gathered it all together, the door was left open for Rabone to steal the win on the run to the flag.  511 Lexi Crosbie completed the top three.